7 month old will not take a bottle

My 7 month old daughter has been solely breastfed, and now I have to go back to work in a month, and I have been trying for a month to give her a bottle and she will not take it.  She will drink juice and water from a sippy cup, but will not drink my milk or formula from a bottle or a sippy cup!!!  What should I do??  I need for her to take a bottle because she will need it when I go back to work in a month.

[myenzoorka]

Well, two things.  Either you should try having someone else give her your milk in a bottle - and it may work better when you're not home.  If you're still stuck with a little one who won't take a bottle, well, welcome to the family! :)   My 9 month old has never taken a bottle - from anyone, no matter where I was (and I am told I was exactly the same way).  The good news is: your daughter may be a bit precocious.  The bad news: it's time to give her your milk or formula in a sippy cup.  Fortunately, she is old enough that she should be able to supplement feedings with solids - but it will take a lot of effort to make sure she's getting enough milk while you are away from her.  Since you have a month until you go back to work, start giving her larger amounts of expressed milk or formula now.  See if she is willing to drink several ounces in one sitting - and if she isn't... work your way up until she does.  Hopefully, that will work well enough.  Sorry, I can't help you from there as I have the luxury of being able to nurse whenever since I'm a stay at home mom.  I wish you the best of luck!!  Let me know if you need more detailed advice - my mom had to feed me formula via sippy cup starting when I was 3 months old while she was working and going to school, so I know it can be done somehow - and I can find out for you.

[LisaG96]

Thanks for the advice.  Unfortunately, I have had someone else give it to her, and that still didn't work.  My daughter just pushes it away and fusses.  I sent her to the sitters for three weeks every afternoon to see if it would help.  On the last day, she did drink a little.  But, it is summer, and I am a teacher, so I didn't want to keep sending her to her future sitters all summer, so my husband and I have been trying to give her milk in bottles and sippy cups.  Further, I have tried a sippy cup.  I have tried four different sippy cups.  I have even tried to just let her drink it from a cup.  She will drink anything else from sippy cups, bottles, and cups, just not my milk, nor formula.  What should I do when I go back to work if she won't take my milk?  I worry about her getting enough millk....I can put it in her cereal, anything else?  She already gets fruits and vegetables that I make.  And, I worry about what she is going to do if she wants milk, thus wanting me or if she gets upset and wants to nurse???  Please, more suggestions!!!  Thanks.

[specialmom]

Oh.  Memories.  My younger son was attached to me for a very long time --------  a VERY long time.  He refused a bottle no matter what I tried.  But . . . I did not have to go back to work-------- so, I just dealt with it and at one, he went to a sippy cup with regular milk and a little flavoring in it.  You don't have that option of waiting------------

Okay, I'm going to say it.  She isn't going to starve herself.  First, at 7 months, you are introducing baby food and this gets more and more of their nutritional needs covered.  Second, if she has no option but the bottle for 8 hours every day------------  she's going to take that bottle.  It is painful to think of her crying and wanting you but health wise, she is going to be fine.  

I'm sure you've seen in those mail order catelogues the bottle shaped like a breast.  You could try that.  But otherwise---------  if you are desperate for her to take a bottle . . . as painful as this sounds, wean her now.  Only breast feed upon waking and before bed----------  and give her nothing but the bottle the other times.  She won't take a bottle because she is holding out for the breast.  If the breast isn't coming---------  she'll drink what she can.  

Ugh, I feel cold and cruel just writing that.  But that is the only thing I can think of.  By the way--------- my boy nursed for eons . . . and it is a distant memory as he is now 5.  All of this will be a memory for you and your daughter as well.  And one thing I realized as I actually was officially weaning him (or I think he'd still be doing it)----------  I was as sad to give it up as he was.  When I say memories . . . many of them are good from that time in our lives.  Good luck-------- with the bottle, going back to work, and everything else.